Trial Preparation: A Reflection on the Call of Saint Matthew

[Photo of trial team (left to right): me, Brooke (litigation support), Sara (attorney), our client rep, and Eli (attorney)]

For all the cases that I work on as a paralegal, I always want the cases to settle before we have to take them to trial - jury or bench. For me, when the case settles, it means that the parties have listened to the reasoned counsel of their attorneys and reached a mutual agreement on how to best resolve their differences. From a biblical standpoint, this is what Jesus teaches us to do, saying: "Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison" (Matthew 5:25).

However, when a case does go to trial, I know in my heart (through prayer) that our Lord has a lesson that he wants me to learn during my experience at trial. Most of all, Jesus is teaching me to trust in him. "Jesus, I trust in you" continues to be what I live by when it comes to my personal life, professional life, and ministerial life. Our Lord has answered my prayers in so many ways thus far this year, particularly in the month of April. Back in February, I had three (3). . . yes, you read that right, three (3) trial settings in April.

The first trial setting was from April 14-18. . . yes, Holy Week! Both me and one of the attorneys on the case (who is a Catholic) were relieved (to say the least) when the case settled. The second trial setting was from April 21-25. . . yep, trial starts on the Monday after Easter. As a Catholic, I firmly believe that to truly close out Lent and enter into Easter in the right spiritual mindset, we must experience Holy Week to the fullest, particularly the Sacred Paschal Triduum - Holy Thursday of the Lord's Supper, Good Friday of the Lord's Passion, and the Great Vigil of Easter. Then, go to Mass again on Easter Sunday. Thankfully, April 21-25 trial setting got moved to May 19-23 because the lead attorney on our trial team had another trial in Miami.

The last trial setting was from April 28-May 2 and, while this trial setting did not conflict with Holy Week or Easter, I did have the Knights of Columbus State Convention, in Corpus Christi, the weekend before trial was set to start. I brought this to my attorney's attention months ago and I am grateful to her for being okay with me attending the convention so I could fulfil my role as the Assistant to the State Chaplain for the Knights of Columbus Texas State Council. Being able to get away and spend time with our Lord Jesus Christ and with my brother Knights was what I needed spiritually to prepare me for trial. It was physically exhausting but I am glad my wife drove to and from the convention so I could relax.

I always believe that every trial that God lets me experience, He has something that He wants me to learn and gain from my trial experience. In this case, it has been eleven (11) years since my last out-of-town trial so, from a professional standpoint, God wanted me to have this opportunity once again (but this time, I did not have another paralegal with me). I worked with our client's people to book the meeting room for us to use as a mobile "war room" and our hotel rooms at the Fairfield Inn & Suites - Georgetown. Then, I worked with our folks to prepare the mobile "war room" with everything we needed for trial - from snacks to a printer to trial supplies, etc. There were a lot of boxes to transport and set up but our attorneys had everything they needed to represent our client in court, so we accomplished our goal (see below for my "thank you" to all involved). It was a great experience for me as a paralegal to prepare for an out-of-town trial and I am grateful to God for the opportunity.

From a spiritual growth, as I listened to our attorney present our client's story to the judge (not jury because it was a bench trial), I thought of the call of Saint Matthew (9:9): As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. Matthew was a tax collector who was despised by the Jewish people because they felt that he was working with the Romans against his own people. In a conversation that I shared with one of my trial members, I said that we all need to make a living and provide for our families. I will not get into any more details but wanted to share that that was what I felt God wanted me to learn from this trial experience - love and compassion toward our neighbor. It is a God-incidence that all of this happen a week after the Holy Father was called home to the Father. Pope Francis' papacy was focused on love of God and love of neighbor - that is the Joy of the Gospel and how to live lives of mercy towards others as God has mercy on us.

As a sidebar, one of my responsibilities as a paralegal during trial is to keep track of admitted trial exhibits and work with the court reporter and the paralegal across the aisle to ensure that all admitted trial exhibits are in the record. The court reporter gave me one of the best compliments ever. She said that I kept good detailed records of admitted trial exhibits. I pointed out a couple of trial exhibits that she did not have on her list as being admitted and was able to point her to which witness testimonies that exhibits were offered and admitted.

It was a good week in court. Now, on to the next trial. . . which starts on May 19th. . . I am excited to see what God wants me to experience next. . .

. . .Addendum. . .

Thank you, Adam, for covering for me last Friday and weekend and getting everything Sara needed while I was in Corpus Christi. Also, many thanks for helping me move into the mobile “war room”.

Thank you, Tyler & Jake, for getting us all set up in the mobile “war room”. Everything was great! We had everything we needed.

Thank you, Angie & Adam, for working together to order us lunches daily, helping with filings, etc. Thank you, John, for pulling together the supplies. Thank you, Melissa, for delivering the additional supplies to us.

Thank you, Tyler H., again, for being there yesterday afternoon to tear down the mobile “war room” and helping us bring things back to the office.

Thank you, Tyler G., for your quick research into legislative materials for Eli yesterday.

Of course, thank you, Sammie, for covering for me during trial. Hopefully, it was not too crazy but, then again, I have pretrial deadlines for the trial starting on May 19th.

Thank you, everyone! It takes a village for out of town trials and I am glad you guys are my village.

. . .
Other related blogs:

Trial Preparation: A Reflection on Getting to Heaven https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/09/trial-preparation-reflection-on-getting.html

Trial Preparation: A Reflection on the Great Commandment https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2025/05/trial-preparation-reflection-on-great.html